Billy Hardwick
Billy Hardwick (July 25, 1941 – November 16, 2013) was an American professional ten-pin bowler who achieved prominence on the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour, winning 18 titles and becoming the first athlete to claim the PBA Triple Crown by capturing the three major championships: the 1963 PBA National, the 1965 Tournament of Champions, and the 1969 BPAA All-Star (now known as the U.S. Open).[1][2] Born in Florence, Alabama, to factory worker Mary and painter Hubert Hardwick, he grew up in Memphis, Tennessee, and joined the PBA in 1961, failing to cash in his first 17 tournaments before breaking through.[1][3] Hardwick's career peaked in the 1960s, when he earned PBA Player of the Year honors in 1963 (with four tournament victories) and 1969 (a career-high seven titles), alongside multiple titles at the 1964 ABC Tournament (predecessor to the USBC Open Championships), including the Classic Singles and All-Events.[2][3] Despite battling a rare form of arthritis that affected his hands and shortened his competitive tenure, his elegant style and determination earned him recognition as one of Bowling Magazine's 20 Best Bowlers of the 20th Century and a spot on its Post-1950 All-America team.[1][3] Later in life, Hardwick owned Billy Hardwick's All-Star Lanes in Memphis, where he promoted the sport locally, and was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1977 and the USBC Hall of Fame in 1985.[2] He died of a heart attack in Bradenton, Florida, at age 72, leaving a legacy as a pioneering figure in professional bowling who also appeared in the first athlete-endorsed beer commercial for Miller High Life in 1969.[1][2]Early Life
Birth and Upbringing
William Bruce Hardwick, known as Billy, was born on July 25, 1941, in Florence, Alabama, to Mary Hardwick, a factory worker, and Hubert Hardwick, a painter.[1] His family relocated from Alabama to the San Francisco Bay Area during his early childhood, settling in San Mateo, California, where he spent his formative years.[1] The move placed the Hardwicks in a burgeoning suburban community amid post-World War II growth, offering a stable yet modest working-class environment that emphasized resilience and community ties.[4] Hardwick grew up on Casanova Drive in San Mateo, a quiet residential street that fostered close neighborhood friendships, including with his best friend Len Nicholson, who lived nearby.[4] His parents' blue-collar professions shaped a family dynamic centered on hard work and perseverance, values that influenced Hardwick's competitive nature from a young age.[1] As a child, he faced health challenges, including a rare form of arthritis diagnosed at age 10 and a junior high school accident that severely injured his ring finger, experiences that tested his determination and adaptability.[1] In school, Hardwick attended Hillsdale High School in San Mateo, where he graduated and displayed an early drive to excel.[1][4] His childhood hobbies reflected the Bay Area's outdoor-oriented culture, including neighborhood play and social activities with peers, which helped build his outgoing personality and competitive spirit before he discovered bowling as a teenager.[4]Introduction to Bowling
Billy Hardwick's introduction to bowling occurred during his teenage years in San Mateo, California, where he first encountered the sport at the local Bel Mateo Bowl. At age 16, around 1957, he began working there wiping tables for $1.65 an hour, using the opportunity to observe and practice late into the night, often sneaking onto the lanes after hours.[5] This early exposure was heavily influenced by his close friend and high school classmate Len Nicholson, a towering figure who provided companionship and protection during informal challenges at the alley, fostering Hardwick's initial passion for the game.[4] Hardwick's first competitive experiences came through junior and amateur leagues in the mid-1950s, starting around 1956 when he teamed up with Nicholson as doubles partners in local youth circuits at Bel Mateo Bowl. During his high school years at Hillsdale High, he joined these leagues, initially struggling with an ungraceful but consistent style that emphasized determination over finesse. These early matches against peers in the San Mateo area helped him build endurance, as he practiced obsessively—often from midnight Fridays to Sunday evenings—turning initial losses into steady improvement.[5][6][4] Through relentless training in the Bay Area's youth tournaments and local leagues, Hardwick developed his basic skills, including a distinctive grip that became a hallmark of his approach, leading to early recognitions as a promising talent among regional juniors. By the late 1950s, he had outbowled his high school rivals and achieved notable local successes, such as consistently defeating challengers who traveled to Bel Mateo Bowl to test him, earning a reputation as the alley's top bowler by 1960. Without formal coaching, his mentors were primarily peers like Nicholson and the competitive environment itself, which fueled his decision in his late teens to pursue bowling as a serious career path, setting the stage for his transition to professional circuits.[5][4]Professional Career
Entry into PBA and Early Achievements
Billy Hardwick joined the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) Tour in 1961 at the age of 20, securing sponsorship from 20 local bowling acquaintances to support his entry into professional competition.[7] As a young competitor from California, he faced significant challenges adapting to the national tour's demands, including extensive travel across the country and competing against established professionals.[8] In his debut season, Hardwick participated in just one event and earned a single cash prize without a title, followed by a winless 1962 campaign across 17 tournaments where he failed to cash in any, highlighting the steep learning curve and financial strains of the touring lifestyle.[8][7] Hardwick's breakthrough came in 1963, when he secured his first four PBA Tour titles, including the prestigious PBA National Championship—his inaugural major victory—demonstrating rapid improvement in consistency and performance under pressure.[8][7] These successes, combined with leading the tour in earnings with $33,265, earned him the 1963 PBA Player of the Year award, determined by a vote of fellow professionals based on overall tour performance and achievements.[8] At age 22, Hardwick became the youngest recipient of this honor, a milestone that elevated his reputation as a prodigious talent and set the foundation for his future dominance in the sport.[9]Major Titles and Records
Billy Hardwick achieved the distinction of being the first bowler to complete the PBA Triple Crown by winning all three major tournaments during his career: the 1963 PBA National Championship, the 1965 Firestone Tournament of Champions, and the 1969 U.S. Open.[1][5] His victory in the 1969 U.S. Open solidified this unprecedented accomplishment, marking him as a trailblazer in professional bowling at the time.[5] In 1969, Hardwick earned his second PBA Player of the Year award after a dominant season in which he captured a then-record seven titles, showcasing his peak performance on the tour.[10][8] This haul contributed significantly to his career total of 18 PBA Tour titles, including the three majors, before he retired following the 1976 season.[11] Earlier, in 1968, he set a PBA record for the highest eight-game block with a score of 2,165 at the Japan Cup, a mark that underscored his scoring prowess and remains notable in tour history.[12] Hardwick's contributions were recognized with induction into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1977 for superior performance, shortly after his retirement.[13] In 2008, he was ranked No. 12 on the PBA's list of the 50 Greatest Players in its first 50 years, affirming his lasting impact on the sport.[14]PBA Tour Titles
Billy Hardwick secured 18 PBA Tour titles over his career, spanning from 1963 to 1976, with three of these being major championships that collectively formed the PBA's original Triple Crown.[8][15] His victories demonstrated remarkable consistency, particularly in the mid-1960s, where he claimed multiple titles in single seasons, including four in his breakout year of 1963 and a record-setting six in 1969.[8] Of the 18 wins, 15 were standard Tour events, often marked by high-stakes competition against top contemporaries like Dick Weber and Don Johnson, while the majors elevated his status as a pioneer in professional bowling.[1] The following table enumerates Hardwick's PBA Tour titles chronologically, highlighting the three majors and noting key patterns such as his dominant 1963 rookie surge and 1969 peak.| Year | Event | Location | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | Mobile Sertoma PBA Open | Mobile, Alabama | Hardwick's first PBA Tour victory, launching his rapid ascent as a 22-year-old rookie sensation.[8] |
| 1963 | Phoenix PBA Open | Mesa, Arizona | Second win of the season, part of a four-title haul that earned him PBA Player of the Year honors.[8] |
| 1963 | Los Angeles PBA Open | Gardena, California | Third consecutive title, showcasing his adaptability across diverse lane conditions in the early Tour era.[8] |
| 1963 | PBA National Championship (Major) | Garden City, New York | Clinched the prestigious major with a $7,500 first prize, solidifying his status as the youngest Player of the Year at age 22.[15][12] |
| 1964 | Birmingham Coca-Cola Open | Birmingham, Alabama | Opened his title defense year strongly, contributing to three wins amid growing competition on the expanding Tour.[8] |
| 1964 | North American Van Lines Open | Pontiac, Michigan | Demonstrated endurance in a grueling format, defeating established stars to claim his fifth career title.[8] |
| 1964 | Southern California PBA Open | Costa Mesa, California | Closed the year with a regional stronghold victory, building momentum toward future majors.[8] |
| 1965 | Firestone Tournament of Champions (Major) | Akron, Ohio | Won the first Firestone-sponsored edition of this invitational major with a record $25,000 first prize, beating finalists Joe Joseph and Dick Weber in a stepladder final.[15][12][16] |
| 1967 | Kokomo Open | Kokomo, Indiana | Returned from a relatively quiet period with a precise performance, edging out the field in a mid-season upset.[8] |
| 1968 | Seattle Open | Seattle, Washington | Captured the title en route to setting a PBA record with a 271 average over eight games in the subsequent Japan event, highlighting his international prowess.[12] |
| 1969 | Denver Open | Denver, Colorado | Kicked off an unprecedented six-win season, starting with a dominant qualifying round that propelled him to victory.[8] |
| 1969 | Miller High Life Open | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Second title of the year, underscoring his consistency during a career-high scoring stretch.[8] |
| 1969 | Smallcomb Enterprises Classic | Redwood City, California | Third win, held near his hometown roots, adding personal significance to his dominant campaign.[8] |
| 1969 | BPAA All-Star (U.S. Open) (Major) | Hialeah, Florida | Completed the Triple Crown by winning this major, outdueling Dick Weber in the final to cap a seven-title year including non-Tour events.[15][17] |
| 1969 | Fort Worth Open | Fort Worth, Texas | Fourth Tour win of 1969, reflecting his peak form with multiple 200-plus games in the finals.[8] |
| 1969 | Grand Rapids Open | Grand Rapids, Michigan | Fifth victory, part of a streak that earned him a second Player of the Year award.[8] |
| 1969 | Joliet Open | Joliet, Illinois | Sixth and final Tour title of the season, cementing 1969 as his most prolific year.[8] |
| 1976 | Monro-Matic Open | Toledo, Ohio | His swan song victory at age 35, coming after a seven-year title drought and just before retirement from full-time competition.[9][11] |